“Group Chat” Takes First

Story by Catherine Grosdidier »

For the last three years, the video production staff, under the direction of Mr. Robinson, has participated in the Kansas Turnpike Safe Driving Video Competition. This contest is put on by the Kansas Turnpike Authority and features submissions from various high schools across the state. This year, the video “Group Chat,” which featured seniors Andrew Harmon, Phillip Pyle, Kayla Hernandez, Eian Han, Nick Williamson, and Andrew Zook, took first place in the competition.

“Videos are sent in from schools all across the state about safe driving practices and generally fall under the PSA category,” Andrew Zook, Sr. said. “Our video was directed toward high schoolers because of the fact that their demographic is the most likely to text and drive.”

According to Zook, the idea of the video was to simulate a group chat setting. The members sat in a dark room, but weren’t really present. Screen grabs were added to the video during the editing process to “further push the point.”

Video Productions has taken first place and second place respectively in the last two years of competition and hoped that this year would be the year to put them back on top. When news broke of the first place finish, all of the EHS teams celebrated.

“I feel pretty jacked, really,” Video Production teacher Mr. Robinson said. “The past two years, we have been in a battle with Wichita East, so I was curious about the other videos being submitted. Plus, now that the competition is a little older, the amount of videos submitted will be higher in making the competition tougher.”

The Video Production staff had the most submissions ever with six being submitted into the competition. First place prize for the video was $500 to the video program and a DJI Osmo camera.

“The DJI Osmo camera is a handheld auto stabilization camera,” Zook said. “It virtually removes camera shake, while still giving free movement to the camera itself. It’s very useful for stable following shots.”